Departing Official Praises, Is Praised

The clear lucite gift box looked so good, outgoing County Administrator John Sansbury thought it was his farewell present.

As hundreds of people looked on, Sansbury examined the geometric object -- a paperweight, he observed -- saying how much he liked it.

``It`s a ring,`` interjected Commission Chairwoman Karen Marcus.

``He thought it was a paperweight!`` said an amused Commissioner Dorothy Wilken.

``I`m just a dumb boy from Westgate, what do you want?`` Sansbury said as the audience laughed.

County employees honored Sansbury during his final commission meeting Tuesday with a framed resolution, a personalized street sign, a car telephone and the gold signet ring.

The flat-topped ring, paid for by the taxpayers, is studded with two diamonds and a replica of the county seal. Around the curved edge is engraved: ``County Administrator 1975-1986.``

Sansbury, 37, relinquishes his top county post on Monday after 11 years. He is opening a private real estate consulting and management firm with zoning attorney Bill Boose.

In a warm-up for the ``Let`s-Make-a-Deal`` world awaiting him, Sansbury was given a choice between a $4,000 cashiers check or a mysterious gift box wrapped in blue and orange, his alma mater colors from the University of Florida.

Taking the advice of Assistant County Administrator Vince Bonvento, Sansbury chose the box, looking doubtfully at the check as he ripped off the wrapping paper.

Inside was a $3,866 cellular telephone for his car, complete with a certificate for installation.

``This is to help you close those multi-million deals once you`re in the private sector. And perhaps you can use it for calling the board and reminding them how to vote on certain issues,`` Bonvento said.

The money for the phone, and a $344 check representing leftover funds, came from passing the hat among the County Commission`s 3,500 employees, Bonvento said.

The ring was paid for out of a special county account for awards for county employees. Janis Brunell, a county employee-relations specialist, estimated that the ring cost at least $200, but did not know the exact amount.

County Engineer Herb Kahlert gave Sansbury a large green-and-white street sign printed with his home address: 8660 Thousand Pine Circle.

When it was Sansbury`s turn to speak, he lauded his assistants.

``You`re only as good as the people you surround yourself with,`` he said, reciting a long list of names and professional attributes.

Sansbury also praised the current county commissioners, calling them ``aggressive . . . and willing to stand up and make tough decisions.``

Wearing on his lapel a plastic sticker identical to the orange, blue and green county seal atop the governmental complex, Sansbury recounted the heavy population growth of his tenure and some of the attendant problems.

``It has been a privilege,`` he concluded.

As the audience rose to give him a standing ovation, a row of county parks and recreation workers at the rear of the auditorium held up a long white banner proclaiming in red letters, ``GOOD LUCK, JOHN.``